Kate Middleton and Prince William Refuse to Be Absentee Parents for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
Kate Middleton and Prince William are setting a parenting example for their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The couple continues to buck royal tradition by refusing to be absentee parents in the name of the crown.
The Prince and Princess of Wales reduced their royal workload so they’re not absentee parents
Kate Middleton and Prince William came under fire for a reduced workload compared to other senior royals in 2023. The Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly clocked in 172 and 123 engagements in 2023, according to the Court Circular.
Therefore, they were more available for their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Royal author Gareth Russell defends the couple’s reduced workload to GB News. He said they are “prioritizing their children.”
He told GB News: “We can defend the couple; this is what it looks like when royals prioritize their children and home life. Previous generations of royals did not do this. They were often painted by their children and by many of their subjects as being absentee parents.”
Russell continued, “They weren’t there enough for their children.” However, he believes that Kate and William’s approach will continue to break new ground moving forward within the royal family.
“There inevitably has to be a trade-off in this. You can have royals who commit to as many engagements as the Queen Mother, Queen, or Prince Philip did. The upshot is that they won’t spend as much time with their children daily.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal schedule may increase as their children get older
Currently, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are 10, 8, and 5 respectively. They are at an age where they would benefit from their parents being more available rather than taking on hundreds of royal engagements a year.
Royal author Gareth Russell believes that as their children age, Kate and William will become more active as senior royals. He thinks, ultimately, they will raise a happier family.
“So either you have royals who continue to work as publicly and as often as they did before, or you have royals who perhaps raise happier families,” said Russell. “And bearing in mind the expectation is that one day William and Catherine will have the fullest schedule of all, and hopefully that will be when their children are grown.”
Prince William is parenting from Princess Diana’s playbook
Princess Diana was one of the first modern royals to break the parenting precedent of Queen Elizabeth and The Queen Mother. Both women took on demanding royal engagements that left little time with their children, primarily raised by nannies and schooled at home.
Diana wanted a different life for her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. She insisted they attend school with other children from the onset of their education instead of palace schooling,
William became the first future monarch to be entirely educated in the public school system. He started at Mrs Mynors’ nursery in Notting Hill in September 1985 before going to Wetherby Prep School two years later.
Then, William attended Ludgrove independent boarding school in Wokingham. Finally, he was admitted to Eton College in 1995.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have not yet revealed whether their oldest son, Prince George, will follow in his father’s footsteps by attending Eton College. He currently attends Lambrook School with his siblings.
